babcock



N0. -6|5,207. Patented Nov. 29,1898.'

' .|.-J. BABCICK.v

Luck.v

(Application led Jan. 8, 1898.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet I.

El E. i E El L lvtnaow y No. s|5,2o7. y

|. J. BABcocK.

LUCK.

(Application led Jan. 8, 1898.)

Patented Nov. 29, |898.

(No Model.) .3 Shsets-Sheet 2.

1 f'ln/ so n No. 615,207. Patented Nov. 29, |898.

(Appu'camm med Lrg. a, 199s.) (No Modem 3 Sheet's--Sheet'lAWllllllI/IIIIIIII.

nvamlo'c' @www Man'mmma.

Sera Ausw 1H: wams PEYg'Rs co., mopturko., wAsHma'mN. n. c.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IRA J. BABOOOK, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 615,207, dated November29, 1898. Application led January 8,1S98. Serial No. 666,017. (Nomodel.)

To all whom, it may concern.'

Be it known that I, IRA J. BABCOCK, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of the borough of Brooklyn, city of New York, and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locks, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in locks, and it is particularlyuseful in connection with, but not necessarily in all respects limitedto, key combination-locks of the type known as locking-bar locks-suchlocks, for example, as are described in my application for LettersPatent filed in the United States Patent Office on the 29th day ofDecember, 1897, Serial No. 664,174.

The present invention aims, irst, to provide such a construction andarrangement of a rotatable cylinder that when applied to a padlock thecylinder shall itself constitute the bolt engaging the shackle directlyand without any intermediate mechanism and in such manner that therotation of the cylinder to one position locks the shackle on .thecylinder and the rotation of the cylinder to another position frees theshackle, and, second, to provide mechanism wherebya lock can be lockedin two directions and such that the lock is always left with somecombination of tumblers set in the locked position. This construction isof great utility in key combination-locks, which can be locked with anumber of keys, because it prevents a malicious person from inserting inan unlocked lock some other key than that possessed by the owner of thelock and locking the tumbers in some new combination, so that the ownercannot open his own lock. The invention in this respect overcomes thisdanger, because, since whenever the owners key is removed from the locka combination of tumblers is always set, which only the owners key orits exact duplicate will open, and no other person can bring thetumblers to the neutral position, in order to change the combination,with any other than such key or its exact duplicate.

The invention also provides simple and effective means for preventingwithdrawal of the key until the proper combination of tumblers has beenset in the locked combination, together with means not readilyaccessible to a person attempting to tamper with the lock,

for freeing the key and changing the combination when desired. Theselast named means are of such character as to require 5 5 time to operateand also such that the attempt to operate them will excite suspicion anddirect inquiry into the actions of the person, making the change.Practically the change is impossible to any except the right- 6o fulowner.

The invention has a wide range of applications, and I thereforehereinafter show certain features applied both to key combination-locksof the locking-bar type and to pintumbler locks.

Referring to the' drawings which accompany the specification to aid thedescription, Figure 1, Sheet 1, is a longitudinal sectional elevation ofthe invention applied to a key 7o combination-padlock of the locking-bartype. The shackle is shown locked. Fig. 2, Sheet 1, is a section on theline 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig.

3, Sheet 1, is a view from below of the bottom of the case. The dottedlines represent the locking-bar and tumblers in the unlocked or neutralposition. Fig. 4, Sheet 2, is a longitudinal sectional elevation withthe shackle open. Fig. 5, Sheet 2, is a cross-section on the line 5 5 ofFig. 4. Fig. 6 is an elevation 8o of the tumbler-case. Fig. 7 is a planof the tumbler-case in the same position as in Figs. 4 and 5 and showingthe shackle in section. Fig. 8 is a view of the head 30 of thetumblercase as seen from below. Fig. 9 is an en- 8 5 larged detail of atumbler. Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail of a washer. Fig. 11 is a brokencross-section showing the device for holding cap 40 in its severalpositions for preventing and for permitting changing the combination 9oof the locking-tumblers. Fig. 12 is a view of a key and indicating oneposition of head 30 and cap 40. Fig. 13 is a longitudinal sectionalelevation of a pin-tumbler padlock provided with a cylinder which isequipped with a bolt locking directly on the shackle. Fig. 14 is asection on the line 14 14 of Fig. 13. Fig. 15 is a section on the line15 1,5 of Fig. 14. Referring to Figs. 1 to 11, A is a lock-case; B, ashackle preferably hinged thereon at b; roo C, a rotatable cylinder ortumbler-case; D D, tumblers having a true working fit in case O, and E alocking-bar coacting with the tumblers, as hereinafter described. Saidtumbler-case C is slotted at one side, as at c', for to permit of theoscillation of the bits of the the passage of locking-bar E and isprovided with a bolt which is formed integral with or fixed on and so asto form one with said ease C and adapted to engage directly with shackleB without the intervention of any intermediary part. In Figs. 1 and Gsaid bolt consists of a head c on the end of case C and provided withoverhan gin g flanges d, which when said case C is in the lockedposition engage over hooks f g of shackle l and lock said shackle atboth ends, so that even if hinge pin Z) is knocked out the shacklecannot be opened. A diametrical `groove c is cut down through said boltc, so that when case C is in the unlocked position, Figs. +L and 7, theshackle can be turned up through said groove to the open position ofFig. 4; but when the shackle is in such open position the end of hook f,which constitutes a cam, turns up into said groove c and preventsrotating the case C back to the locked position. To lock, therefore, theshackle must be first turned down, so that the shoulder d can rotatethrough the notch f. Surfaces (Z2 serve to stop the case C at itsextreme positions. Said tumblers D, of any desired number, are eachshaped substantially as a segment of a circle to t nicely in case C andare provided with two projections 1 2, which each serve to turn thelocking-bar E and also assist in limiting the motion of the tumblers incertain circumstances, and with surfaces 3 4, which are also, in effect,projections and adapted to limit the motions of the tumblers by engagingon said locking-bar E. Said projections 1 2 3 i coact with saidlocking-bar E in the manner hereinafter described. Said projections 3 iand the surfaces 5 6 of projections 2 are shaped so as to permit ofturning of locking-bar E in the several positions of the tumblers. Saidprojections l 2 3 i are spaced apart a distance equal to the angularmovement of the tumblers between the unlocked and either ot the lockedpositions. Each of said tumblers is centrally perforated, as shown, anumber of recesses, as 9 10 11 12 13 1i 15 1G, being spaced equallyaround the perforation and at angular distances apart equal to theangular movement of the tumblers from the unlocked to either of thelocked positions. Recess 9 is the true key-recess, and the purpose ofthe other recesses is to conceal the position of any tumbler, sincewhether any tumbler be locked or unlocked there will always be the samenumber of straight lines of recesses accessible from the keyhole and noindication will be given of what tumblers are unlocked or locked.

Between each pair of tumblers is a washer XV, preferably of thin sheetmetal, shaped as shown and provided with points a; Q9, which fit intoslots .2' at the sides of locking-bar E, so as to hold said washersstationary. Through the center of each washer is a perforation for theshank 7,; of key K, and connecting with this perforation is a iiarin gorifice lV, shaped key. Said locking-bar E, pivoted axially in thetuinbler-case C, as shown, is long enough to reach across the edges ofall the assembled tumblers, Fig. 1, and is shaped in cross-section, asseen in Fig. 2-that is, with three longitudinal arms or ribs 25 26 27,separated by grooves 2S 29. Said arm 2G is the lockingarm and ishammer-shaped on each side, as shown. Said projections 1 of saidtumblers D are adapted to work in said groove 2S as the tumblers rotate.Assuming the lockingbar and tu mblcrs to be in the neutral positionindicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 3 and that the locking-bar is tobe locked in the position of Fig. 5, then the projections 1 of suchtumblers as are turned by the key moving in said slot 28 engage theadjacent side of arm 26 of locking-bar E and turn the lockingbar to theposition ot' Fig. 5. If, however, the intention is to lock thelocking-bar E in the position of Fig. 2, the key will be turned in thedirection the reverse of before, and the projections 2 of such tumblersas were turned by the key will move across the slot 29 and e11- gage theother side of said arm 20 and turn said locking-bar from the neutralposition to that of Fig. 2. If the key were now turned backward, saidprojections 2, engaging arm 27 of the locking-bar, would return thelocking-bar to the neutral position, and if the key continued turningprojections 1 would then turn the locking-bar again to the position ofFig. 5. Now, again reversing the movement of the key, said projections 1will engage arm 25 of the locking-bar and turn the locking-bar to theneutral position, and then projections 2 will continue turning saidlocking-bar until it reaches the position of Fig. 2. In the position ofFig. 2, as will be seen, one side of arm 2G stands adjacent to the endsof said projections 2, and in the position of Fig. 5 the other side ofsaid arm 2G stands adjacent to the ends of projections 1, and in eachposition the locking-bar can be turned to the neutral position only asthe locked tumblers turn to that position. The projections 3 and 4,respectively, limit the extreme movements of the tumblers by bringing upon the periphery of the locking-bar E. The sides 20 21 of saidlocking-bar are preferably shaped on the arcs of a circle struck fromthe axis of rotation of said locking-bar as a center and are adapted torespectively enter recesses c and a/ in case A, according as thetumblers and locking-bar are locked in one or the other position. Theback 22 of said locking-bar is flattened sufficiently to pass freely bythe wall of case A when the locking-bar is in the unlocked position.

The lower removable head 30 of tumblercase C is provided with a hole 3lfor the shank of the key, connecting with three slots 32 33 3i, spacedequally apart an angular distance equal to the angular movement of thetumblers from the unlocked to either of thelocked positions, and themiddle slot 33 corresponds IOG IIO

to the position of the bits of the key when the tumblers and locking-barare in the neutral or unlocked position. A cap 40, capable in somecircumstances of rotation, as will be hereinafter described, ispositioned between said head 30 and ring 41, which is spun or otherwisefirmly fixed in the lower end of case A. Said cap 40 is preferablycounterbored, as shown, and 44 is a central hole for the shank of thekey, 45 46 being diametrically opposite slots for the key-bits andconnecting with said hole 44. Said cap 40 is normally held stationary bythe screw 50 engaging a slot 51, Figs. 1 and 3, and in such positionthat slots 45 46 register, respectively, with slots 32 and 34 in head30; but by turning back screw 50 said cap 40 may be turned to registerslot 46 with slot 33, screw 50 being again turned in to engage slot 52in said cap 40.

The operation is as follows: Normally some combination of tumblerscorresponding to a combination of bits on some key is set in the lockedposition, locking-bar E then engaging in recess ct of case A, providedshackle B is locked, or in recess d if said shackle is unlocked. Nowsuppose the shackle locked as in Fig. 1. Then the key K, whichoriginally locked the lock or its exact duplicate, is inserted, its bits60 passing through slot 46 in cap 40 and slot 34 in head 30. Turningsaid key in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 2, the

projections 2 of those tumblers corresponding to the bits 60 engagingarm 27 of lockingbar E, the tumblers and locking-bar first revolve tothe neutral position, in which the locking-bar comes clear of recess ain case A. Then the tumbler-case C, with the tumblers and locking-bar,revolves a quarter-turn and until the locking-bar comes to recess d insaid case A. Now continued pressure on the key turns the tumblers stillfarther and sets the same combination in the other direction, the otherside 21 ofthe locking-bar meantime turning up into said recess d' andlockingsaid tumbler-case Cin its new position. The bits of the key arenow in line with slot 32 of head 30 and slot 45 of cap 40, Fig. 127 andthe key may be withdrawn, leaving a combination of tu mblers locked butthe shackle free, because, as the tumbler-case C revolves, slot e turnsto the plane of shackle B, freeing said hooks f g. The lock is thereforenow open. To lock, shackle B must first be closed down, so as to bringthe V-notch f in line with the fiange d of head c and allow thetumbler-case to turn. Next the same key as was used to unlock or theexact duplicate thereof is inserted, (the bits 60 now passing in throughslots 45 and 32, Fig. 12,) and the key is turned inthe reversedirection, first turning the tumblers to the neutral position andwithdrawing the locking-bar from recess a', then turning the works as awhole, and finally locking the tumblers and locking-bar again in theposition they were originally in, wherein the side 20 of the locking-barenters recess a, Fig. 2. As tumbler-case C turns its flanges CZ d passover thezhooks f g of said shackle and lock same as before. The keymaynow be withdrawn, leaving all locked.

Evidently when the tumblers are in the neutral position (wherein alonecan the combination be changed) the bits of the key are under the solidpart of cap 40 and the key cannot be withdrawn, nor another inserted tochange the combination, and in this way the changing of the combinationby a malicious person when the lock is left unlocked by its owner, so asto prevent the owner from opening his own lock, is prevented. 'Ihecombination may however be changed, if the owner desires, by insertingthe key which last locked or the exact duplicate thereof and turning ituntil its bits stand between slots 45 and 46, when the plane of thehandle of the key is in the line joining the marks 0 1, respectively, oncap 40 and ring 41, Fig. 3. Now thev tumblers and locking-bar will be inthe neutral position. Screw 50 is next turned out and cap 40 revolveduntil its mark YO is in line with mark 2 on ring 41, in which positionslot 46 in cap 40 will register with slot 33 in head 30 and the key maybe withdrawn and a new one inserted. Now cap 40 is turned back to itsoriginal position and fastened by screw 50 and the new key turned to oneof its locking positions and withdrawn, leaving some new combination oftumblers and the locking-bar locked.

The use of double locking tumblers and locking-bar is not restricted tocylinder-padlocks, but has a wide application in a variety of keycombination-locks. two heads, as 30 40, to prevent in one position thewithdrawal of a key except some combination of tu mblers is locked, andto permit, in another position, the withdrawal of the key when all thetumblers are in the unlocked position and the insertion of a new key tochange the combination has a wide range of applications in keycombinationlocks, and both these features are claimed generally as myinvention. I also, as herein- The use also of IOO IIO

before stated, claim generally the combina- 13, 14, and 15, Sheet 3,such combination used with a pin-cylinder lock. Referring to saidlast-named figures, 70 is the outer case; 71, the shackle; 72, thecylinder or tumbler case 5 73, the bolt on the end thereof, nowpreferably shaped with wings 74 75, as shown, though it might becircular,provided the lockcase were circular, as in Fig. 1; 76, thepintumblers, each constructed of several pieces, guided in chambersincase 70 and normally pressed inward by springs 78 in the usual manner.In a wall of cylinder 72 are holes through which the said pins 76 enterin the locked position, so as to cross the joint between said cylinder'72 and outside case 70 and so lock the cylinder against turning. A

key K', provided with the well-known corrugated edge when inserted inthe lock, lifts said pins, so that a joint between the sections of eachpin registers with the joint between said cylinder 72 and case 70, sothat the cylinder can turn. As it turns the wings 74 75 of bolt 73disengage from hooks S2 S3 of shackle 7 l, so that said shackle can beraised. In locking,said shackle 7l is iirst closed. Then the key turnscylinder 72 back to its locked posit-ion, wings 7i 75 of bolt 7l againengaging over hooks S2 S3 of said shackle and locking it, and uponwithdrawing` the key the pins 76 lock cylinder 72 against turning.

Now, having described my improvements, I claim as my inventionl. In alock adapted for locking in two directions., the combination of arotatable locking-bar and a series of independently-rotatable tumblers,each provided with a plurality of projections adapted to rotate saidlockingbar and to engage on said locking-bar and limit the motion ofsaid tumblers, substantially as described.

L. In a lock adapted for locking in two directions, the combination of alocking-bar having a plurality of arms, a series ofindependently-movable tumblers each provided with a plurality ofprojections, certain of which are adapted to engage arms of saidlocking-bar and shift same to one or the other of its locking positions,and certain otherof which are adapted to engage on said lockingbar andlimit the extreme motion of said tumblcrs, substantially as described.

3. In a lock which is adapted to lock in two directions, a locking-barprovided in crosssection with a plurality of arms, the central one ofwhich is adapted to be engaged to throw the locking-bar to its severallocking positions, and the others of which are adapted to be engaged toreturn thelocking-bar to its unlocked position, substantially asdescribed.

et. In a lock which is adapted to lock in two directions, a series ofind ependently-movable tumblers, each provided with projections l, 2,adapted to actuate a locking-bar in its several directions, and alsoeach provided with projections 3, i adapted to engage said locking-barand limit the extreme motion of the tuinblers, substantially asdescribed.

5. In combination with a series of independently-movable tumblers,washers, each provided with an orifice to permit of the sweep of a keyand with projections to hold the washer stationary, substantially asdescribed.

G. The combination in a lock of a shackle, a rotatable tu mbler-case,and a bolt fixed on said tumbler-case adapted to engage said shackledirectly as the tumbler-case rotates, substantially as described.

7. The combination of a lock-case, a rotatable tumbler-case therein, alocking-bar and tu mblers in said tumbler-case, a recess in saidlock-case adapted to be engaged in certain positions by saidlocking-bar, a shackle, and a bolt fixed on said tumbler-case adapted todirectly engage said shackle as the tumblercase rotates, substantiallyas described.

S. In a key combination-lock, the combination of a lock-case, ashiftable tumbler-case therein, a plurality of independently-movabletumblers in said tumbler-case, a head of said tumbler-case having aplurality of key-slots, and a shiftable cap of said lock-case providedwith a key-slot arranged to normally register with a certain slot in theaforesaid head and to be shifted to register with another of the Vslotsin said head when the combination is to ence of two witnesses, this 7thday of January, 1898.

IRA J. BABCOCK.

Witnesses:

GLENN FORD MoKINNnY, HENRY V. BROWN.

